KHALISTAN EXTREMISM MONITOR
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
04-May-2025
The Border Security Force (BSF), in a joint operation with Punjab Police on May 4 recovered a drone from fields near Mehdipur village in Tarn Taran district. The recovered drone was a DJI Air 3S model.
04-May-2025
The Border Security Force (BSF) on May 4 recovered a packet containing parts of a pistol with two magazines from a field adjacent to Lakha Singh Wala village in Ferozepur district.
04-May-2025
Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema and Health Minister Dr. Balbir Singh on May 4 led anti-drug awareness events in Patiala under the ‘Yudh Nashian Virudh’ campaign, as part of a state-wide initiative by cabinet ministers. They emphasized that Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann’s government had dismantled drug networks and demolished smugglers’ assets, unlike previous administrations. Meanwhile, other ministers addressed similar gatherings across Punjab.
04-May-2025
Police on May 4 arrested an individual, identified as Honey Kumar and seized 41.83 grams of heroin from his possession, near cremation ground in Phase 1 Industrial Area in Chandigarh.
04-May-2025
On May 4, security agencies conducted a half-hour blackout drill in the border town of Ferozepur, turning off all lights from 9:00 to 9:30 p.m. as per an advisory issued by the Cantonment Board. While officials, including Deputy Commissioner Deepshikha Sharma, described it as a routine exercise, residents expressed anxiety amid heightened border tensions following the Pahalgam terror attack.
03-May-2025
Punjab Police on May 3 arrested two men who were allegedly leaking sensitive information about Indian military installations in Amritsar to Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), identified as Palak Sher Masih and Suraj Masih and seized a mobile phone which allegedly contained images of Army movements and the Air Force base, in Amritsar in Amritsar district. The Police revealed that duo were in contact with ISI through Harpreet Singh alias Pittu alias Happy, who is an inmate at Amritsar Central Jail. The accused were paid INR 5,000 for small information and INR 10,000 for more sensitive details about troop movements and military installations.
03-May-2025
Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema, speaking in Mansa on May 3, claimed that the drug menace in the state was on the verge of elimination and urged addicts to rebuild their lives. His remarks came in the wake of Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav’s announcement of a May 31 deadline to apprehend all drug traffickers. Cheema credited the progress to public participation and the role of village defence committees, while criticising previous governments for their inaction. He also called on citizens to support rehabilitation efforts through active coordination with district administrations and the police.
03-May-2025
Punjab Health Minister Balbir Singh, while chairing a district-level meeting in Mohali (SAS Nagar) on May 3, announced that the state government would launch 'Nasha Mukti Yatras' from May 7 to transform the anti-drug campaign into a mass movement. He outlined a dual strategy—intensifying action against drug peddlers and focusing on the rehabilitation of addicts through skill development and financial assistance. Singh highlighted that the bed capacity at de-addiction centres has tripled to 5,000 and that skill training is being provided in collaboration with non-governmental organisations. He stressed the importance of public participation in sustaining the campaign's momentum.
03-May-2025
Punjab Housing and Urban Development Minister Hardeep Singh Mundian, speaking at a district-level meeting at Kingsville Resort in Mullanpur Dakha, Ludhiana district, on May 3, stated that the 'Yudh Nashian Virudh' campaign would evolve into a transformative movement to make the state drug-free. He pledged strict action against traffickers, including arrests and property seizures, and introduced the concept of village and ward guardians to combat drug abuse at the grassroots level. Mundian also announced a special session of the Punjab Legislative Assembly on May 5 to address drug-related concerns. Additionally, officials launched a WhatsApp helpline to encourage the public to report drug trafficking.
03-May-2025
According to reports, Khalistani terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, chief of the banned terror outfit Sikhs For Justice (SFJ), escalated his efforts by sending pre-recorded calls to residents in Punjab, urging them to support Pakistan and advocate for Punjab's secession, after his social media videos failed to gain traction.
03-May-2025
Ludhiana police on May 3 revealed that five individuals—identified as Manish, Deepak Kumar alias Deepu, Shivam alias Golu, Bablu Verma alias Stay Boy, and Sooraj alias Sexy—who were previously arrested in connection with the April 22 firing that left 19-year-old Tony Chauhan injured in an attack allegedly linked to an Instagram rivalry, were found to have connections with the notorious Canada-based gangster, Devinderpal Singh alias Gopi Lahoria. During a recovery operation, police seized a revolver, two pistols, 29 live cartridges, and a motorcycle from their possession. The gang’s ties to Gopi Lahoria were uncovered through interrogation, revealing that the suspects had been recruited via virtual communication. Further investigations indicated that the illegal weapons had been procured from Madhya Pradesh (MP).
03-May-2025
A Special Court on May 3 sentenced three inter-state drug smugglers, identified as Sona Singh, Chiman Singh and Sumit Kumar to 10-year rigorous imprisonment along with a fine of INR1 lakh each, in Fazilka in Fazilka district. The trio was arrested on April 24, 2022, after 260 grams of heroin was seized from their possession while they were travelling on the Ferozepur-Fazilka road.
03-May-2025
Police on May 3 arrested a key member of the notorious Gopi Lahoria gang, identified as Sumit, and seized an illegal weapon and several live rounds from his possession, in Bagge Kalan village in Ludhiana district.
03-May-2025
The Mohali district court in Sahibzada Ajit Singh (SAS) Nagar on May 3 issued a production warrant against Jagtar Singh Hawara, a key member of Babbar Khalsa International (BKI), for failing to appear in a scheduled hearing related to a 2005 case registered at Kharar police station. The court directed that he be produced via video conferencing on May 8 and warned against further delays. Hawara, currently serving a life sentence for the 1995 assassination of former Punjab Chief Minister Beant Singh, is lodged in Mandoli Jail, Delhi.
03-May-2025
Pro-Khalistan slogans were allegedly raised at a rally organised by the Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar) [SAD(A)] near the cantonment area in Amritsar district on May 3. The party had planned a protest near the International Border but was reportedly denied permission. SAD(A) president Simranjit Singh Mann criticised the Central Government over the Pahalgam terror attack and demanded the opening of border points like Hussainiwala for trade with Pakistan.
02-May-2025
Maharashtra Sikh Association (MSA) on May strongly condemned Khalistani terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun's remarks and reaffirmed the Sikh community's unwavering commitment to India's unity and democratic values. In response to Pannun's claim that Sikhs in the Indian Army side with Pakistan, the MSA labeled the statement as misleading and divisive. The association emphasized that Sikhs across India, including Maharashtra, stand firmly with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and reject all separatist propaganda.
02-May-2025
The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) on May 2 revealed that in a four-month-long operation, they arrested fifteen unidentified individuals and seized drugs worth INR 547 crore, including over 1.42 crore tablets of Tramadol and Alprazolam, 2.9 kg of Tramadol powder, and more than 9 lakh bottles of Codeine-based cough syrup across Punjab, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, and Delhi. The crackdown uncovered a vast drug diversion racket involving dummy medical setups, fake stockists, and rogue pharmaceutical firms. Specific recoveries included 11,693 bottles of Codeine-based cough syrup and 2.9 kg of Tramadol powder from J R Pharmaceuticals in Haridwar, Uttarakhand; 19.25 lakh tablets from Embit Bio Medix in Himachal Pradesh; and 1.17 crore tablets from Aashi Pharmaceuticals in Delhi.
02-May-2025
The Khanna police on May 2 revealed that they arrested 11 persons, including two women identified as Vanshika Thakur and Tanu, and seized 10 grams of heroin, a country-made .32 bore pistol with a magazine, a black Fortuner (registration no. HP-24E-2355), a Swift car, and INR 2 lakh in drug money from their possession, in Ludhiana in Ludhiana district. The investigation began on April 25, when Jagpreet Singh, Gursewak Singh, Jagrup Singh and Jass Singh were arrested with 10 gm of heroin near Hedon village in Samrala tehsil in Ludhiana district in Punjab, and based on their confession, the police arrested the remaining accused involved in the wider drug trafficking network.
02-May-2025
As Punjab’s anti-drug campaign ‘Yudh Nashian Virudh’ (War Against Drugs) enters its second phase, the focus has shifted to modernising de-addiction centres and strengthening rehabilitation infrastructure. The state government plans to expand bed capacity, recruit 343 counsellors, and integrate yoga, skill training, and tele-therapy into treatment protocols. Deputy Commissioners (DCs) have been made directly accountable for service quality, while police continue their crackdown on drug trafficking networks. However, persistent staffing shortages and security challenges remain significant obstacles to progress.
02-May-2025
The Border Security Force (BSF) troops on May 2 recovered a packet of heroin weighing 580 grams from fields near Mahawa village in Amritsar district.
01-May-2025
Mohali police on May 1 arrested two individuals, identified as Rohit Kumar and Ravinder Singh, and seized 20 grams of heroin and two vehicles from their possession in Mubarikpur village, Sahibzada Ajit Singh (SAS) Nagar district. The arrests were made following a complaint received through the anti-drug helpline
01-May-2025
Border Security Force (BSF) troops on May 1 recovered a packet of heroin weighing 575 grams from agricultural fields near Gatti Rajoke village in Ferozepur district.
01-May-2025
The Border Security Force (BSF), in a joint operation with Counter Intelligence (CI) Jalalabad, on May 1 recovered a packet of heroin weighing 568 grams from agricultural fields near Dhani Foola Singh village in Fazilka district.
01-May-2025
The Gharinda police on May 1 arrested a woman drug peddler, identified as Ranjit Kaur alias Rano, and seized 465 grams of heroin from her possession in Rajatal village, Amritsar district.
01-May-2025
The Amritsar police on May 1 recovered 5 kg of heroin and a cash-counting machine from a hideout of absconding cross-border drug and arms smuggler Jodhbir Singh alias Jodha, located at Varindavan Garden Apartments in the Fatehgarh Churian area of Amritsar district. Jodha, an associate of Abhishek Kumar—who was earlier arrested with seven pistols smuggled from Pakistan and ₹1.5 lakh in cash—was reportedly acting on instructions from Australia-based handler Jassa and his associates linked to Pakistan-based smugglers. According to the police, Jodha was also involved in channeling drug money to Pakistan through hawala networks.